Printed wiring boards, circuit boards and other elements are preferably soldered today in a gas atmosphere which at least partly reduces the oxygen content. The benefits of soldering in an atmosphere which has a reduced oxygen content are known.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,409 is disclosed gas shrouded wave soldering wherein the solder wave has a cover or shroud with a slot for the solder wave to project therethrough and wherein an inert gas supply, preferably nitrogen, is provided underneath the cover from gas discharge pipes extending on both sides of the solder wave. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,169 is disclosed a cover or shroud to at least partially cover a solder reservoir and blanket the solder wave and solder within the reservoir with a shield gas. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
In our co-pending application Ser. No. 08/013,973 filed Feb. 4, 1993, is disclosed a gas shrouded wave soldering improvement wherein the ends of a solder wave are protected to ensure the solder wave surface is blanketed evenly by a gas with a reduced oxygen content. The disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference.